Extension spout or chute



Feb. 13, 1934. w. R RHINE EXTENSION SPOUT OR CHUTE Filed Aug. 26, 1933Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The present inventionrelates to chutes or extension spouts, and while it is particularlyuseful in connection with spouts for grain elevators it is equallyuseful, as will be obvious, in many 5 other relations where extensiblespouts are desirable or required.

In grain elevators and the like a part of the bins or storage spaces aresome distance above the floor or ground level and are usually pro- 19vided with a turnhead or angular spout for the delivery of the contentsof the bin. It is customary when removing grain or other material fromsuch bins to attach an extension spout to the angular or turnhead spout.While various means have been devised for attaching the extension spoutsto the turnhead, all have been found defective for one reason oranother, and according to the manner in which this is now usually doneone man holds the extension spout in place while another climbs a ladderand secures it in position by means of a chain on either side thereof.This is a laborious and slow operation and results in great loss of timeand labor when shifting from bin to bin.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved chute orextension spout embodying means whereby it may readily be attached toand detached from an overhead angular spout by a single operatorstanding on the floor or ground level.

Another object is to provide a chute or extension spout with means for'quickly attaching it to an angular spout and in which the said meansmay be retained in inoperative position until the chute has been placedin operative relation with respect to the angular spout.

Other objects, advantages and useful applications of the invention willsuggest themselves upon reference to the following detailed descrip- 40tion and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of the invention attached toa conventional turnhead spout.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing in full lines the securing memberretracted and in dotted lines its position in full release.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with the securing member in extremeprojected or released position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a slightlymodified form of the pivotal support for the clamping ring.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates a conventionaltubularturnhead spout having an upper vertical portion 2 communicating with abin or the like and a lower discharge portion 3 which is disposed at anangle to the section 2.

The chute or extension spout 4 which may be of tubular form has acurved, preferably ringshaped, attaching member 5 pivoted on or inproximity to the upper end thereof. The ring 5 as shown is formed withstraight portions 6 and between these portions is deformed to provide aradially projecting loop 7 which will be referred to hereafter.

For the purpose of mounting the ring 5, a plate 8, Figs. 1 to 3, isriveted or otherwise secured to the upper end of the chute 4, said platehaving the upper end thereof bifurcated and extending beyond the end ofthe spout, the furcations being rolled back upon themselves to providejournals 9 for the straight portions 6 of the ring 5.

The looped projecting portion 7 of the ring 5 extends beyond and betweenthe pivot provided by the journals 9 and may be turned up slightly atits end to which may be secured means for moving the clamping member 5into clamping position, preferably, as illustrated, one end of acontraction spring 10, the other end of which is anchored to the body ofthe extension spout 4 through a bracket 11. The spring 10 normally tendsto project the ring to a position substantially parallel with thelongitudinal axis of the chute as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

A suitable chain or other flexible member 12 is secured as at 13 to thering 5 at a point opposite the pivots 9 for the purpose of retractingand holding the ring concentric with the top of the chute when engagingand disengaging the latter from a turnhead. A latch 14 of any suitableform for engagement with the chain 12 serves to lock the ring 5 inretracted position as shown in Fig. 2.

The ring 5 may be provided with a rubber, fiber or other covering 15 offriction material throughout a greater portion of its circumference toassure a firmer grip on the turnhead spout.

In order to make a single size chute adaptable to turnheads of varyingcircumference, I provide means for varying the efiective size of thering 5. The means shown is in the form of a set screw 16 which isthreaded through a block or plate 17 secured between the legs of theloop 7 as shown in Fig. 3. As the inner end of the screw 16 forms abearing for engaging one side of the turnhead, it 105 will be readilyapparent that adjustment of the screw will make an extension spout ofone size capable of variable application.

The upper edge of the spout 4 may be formed or provided with a flange orcollar 18 against which 110 the clamping ring rests when fully retrievedand in non-clamping position.

In operation, the screw 16 being properly adjusted according to the sizeof the turnhead, the ring 5 is held in retracted position as shown inFig. 2 by pulling down on the chain 12 and engaging the latter with thelatch 14. This leaves both hands of the operator free to manipulate thechute which is then raised and slipped up over the lower end. 3 of theturnhead spout 1 as far as it will go and with the pivots 9 facing theinside of the bend of the spout. While held in this position, a slightpull on the chain 12 will disengage it from the latch 14 so that whenreleased the spring 10 will throw the ring 5 over the outside bend inthe turnhead spout and into frictional clamping engagement with thevertical portion 2 thereof, thereby firmly securing the chute inposition.

It will be noted that the diameter of the ring 5 is sufficiently largeto permit the ring to clear the outer edge 19 of the elbow in its upwardmovement. Although the ring 5 is shown as continuous, it need not be so,as clamping can be effected by two curved arms which are joined at thepivot end and therefore move in unison although they do not meet to forma complete ring. If such form is used, the pull-chain should beconnected to the ends of both arms.

When it is desired to detach the chute the ring 5 is retracted bypulling on the chain 12 and the chute may then be slidably disengagedfrom the turnhead. Both operations can readily be performed by a singleoperator standing on the floor or ground below the overhead spout.

Where the extension is to be used upon a number of spouts having thesame size or substantially the same size, the adapter member l6'may, ofcourse, be omitted. Also, the journal or other support for pivoting thespout-engaging member 5 may be secured to or form a part of theextension 4 or the ring 18. In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4the ring 18 carries the journal members 9 in which thespout-engagingmember 5 turns in movement to and from its clampingposition.

While the invention in its preferred embodiment has been illustrated inconnection with a chute or extension spout, it will be understood thatits use is not restricted thereto; also that the word tubular as hereinemployed is not to be restricted to cylindrical shapes, since theinvention is useful on spouts or the like which are of non-circularcross-section.

Various changes in the details of construction and operation mayobviously be made without departing from the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, said conduithaving clamping means pivotally associated therewith adjacent itsattaching end and adapted to embrace said-tubular outlet, and meansnormally urging said clamping means to a position substantially parallelto the conduit.

I 2. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet having anend-portion disposed at an angleto the main portion, said conduit havinga clamping member pivotally associated therewith adjacent its attachingend and adapted to embrace said main portion of the tubular outlet at anangle to a plane normal to the axis of said main portion, and meansnormally urging said clamping member to a position substantiallyparallel to said conduit, thereby 'caus ing said clamping member toembrace the main portion of said tubular outlet as aforesaid.

3. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular spout having anelbow, said conduit having a curved clamping member pivotally associatedtherewith adjacent its attaching end and adapted to clear said elbow inits movement about the latter, said clamping member being adapted toembrace said spout above said elbow, and means normally urging saidclamping member to a position substantially parallel to the conduit.

4. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, said conduithaving a clamping member pivotally associated therewith adjacent itsattaching end and adapted to embrace said tubular outlet, means normallyurging said clamping member to a position substantially parallel to theaxis of the conduit, and means facilitating manual retraction of theclamping member to non-clamping position in a plane substantially normalto the conduit.

5. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, said conduithaving a clamping member pivotally associated therewith adjacent itsattaching end and adapted when released to embrace said tubular outlet,means normally urging said clamping member to a position substantiallyparallel to the conduit, means facilitating manual retraction of theclamping member to non-clamping position in a plane substantially normalto the conduit, and means for releasably maintaining the clamping memberin its nonclamping position during attachment of the conduit to thetubular outlet.

6. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, said conduithaving curved clamping means pivotally associated therewith adjacent itsattaching end, a spring normally urging the free portion of the pivotedclamping means away from the end of the conduit, and means facilitatingmanual retraction of the clamping means to non-clamping position.

7. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, said conduithaving a clamping ring pivoted thereto adjacent its attaching end andadapted frictionally to engage the tubular outlet, a spring normallyurging the free portion of the pivoted ring away from the end of theconduit, a pull-chain attached at one end to said free portion of thering and facilitating manual retraction of the clamping means tononclamping positionduring attachment of the conduit to the tubularoutlet, and latch means on the conduit for engaging the chain releasablyto maintain the clamping ring in non-clamping position. v

8. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, said conduithaving clamping means pivotally associated therewith adjacent itsattaching end and adapted to embrace said tubular outlet, means normallyurging said clamping means to a position substantially parallel to theconduit, said curved clamping means being otgreater cross-section thanthe tubular outlet, and adjustable means associated with said clampingmeans for varying the effective span of the clamping means.

9. 'An'extens'ion conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, saidconduit having clamping means pivotally associated therewith adapted toembra'casaid tubular outlet, apa'ir of ears on the conduit adjacent itsattaching end providing jouina'ls'fo'r the pivoted clamping means, aloop ins'aid clamping means beyond said journals, a

spring secured at one end to said loop and at its other end to theconduit for normally prging the free portion of the clamping means awayfrom the end of the conduit, a plate on the conduit between saidjournals, and an adjustable bolt threaded in said plate for varying theeffective span of the clamping means.

10. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, saidconduit having clamping means pivotally associated therewith adjacentits attaching end and adapted to embrace said tubular outlet, saidclamping means having a slipresisting surface, and means normally urgingsaid clamping means to a position substantially parallel to the conduit.

11. An extension chute for turnhead spouts of grain bins, said chutehaving a frictional clamping ring pivoted thereto adjacent its upper endand adapted to embrace said spout above its elbow, a spring normallyurging said ring to clamping position, a flexible pull-member forretraction of the ring to non-clamping position on the end or" thechute, and means for varying the effective diameter of the clamping ringto accommodate spouts of different sizes.

12. A device adapted for attachment to a tubular member having an endportion disposed at an angle to the body portion thereof, comprising amember adapted to receive said end portion, a looped element pivotallyconnected to said latter member adjacent the receiving end thereof, andmeans normally urging said looped element to projected position beyondthe end of said latter member whereby said looped element will embracethe body portion of said first member when the end thereof is receivedwithin the end of said latter member.

13. In a detachable chute for a turnhead spout, a ring member pivotallysecured to the spoutreceiving end of said chute, means normally urgingsaid ring to projected position substantially in the plane of the chute,and means for maintaining said ring in retracted position substantiallyconcentric to the spout-receiving end of said chute when the latter isfitted on and detached from the former.

14. In a detachable chute for a turnhead spout, an arcuate memberpivotally secured to the spout receiving end of said chute, meansnormally urging said member to projected position substantially in theplane of the chute, means for maintaining said member in retractedposition substantially concentric to the spout receiving end of saidchute when the latter is fitted on and detached from the former, andmeans comprising a set screw mounted at one side of and projectingradially toward the center of said member for varying the effective sizethereof whereby said chute may be attached to spouts of different sizes.

15. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, saidconduit having clamping means pivoted thereto adjacent its attaching endand adapted to embrace said tubular outlet, means for moving saidclamping means into clamping position and means for moving said clampingmeans into non-clamping position.

16. An extension conduit for attachment to a tubular outlet, a collar onthe attaching end of said conduit, journal means on said collar,clamping means pivotally carried by said journal means and adapted toembrace said tubular outlet, means for moving said clamping means intoclamping position and means for moving said clamping means intonon-clamping position.

17. Clamping means for attaching extension conduits or the like tooutlets for mobile material, comprising a support, a clamping memberpivotally associated with such support, means for swinging said clampingmember into clamping position away from said support, and means formoving the clamping member out of clamping position and toward saidsupport.

WALLACE R. RHINE.

